Deceased Ducks Found At Pritchett Pond In Buffalo Grove: Village

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — Following recent reports of deceased ducks being found at Pritchett Pond, Village of Buffalo Grove officials said Tuesday they are working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Lake County's Ecological Services on the matter.

"No immediate signs of pollution have been found, and while avian botulism may be suspected, it has not been confirmed and is very difficult to test based on water samples," the Village said in a social media post.

Officials said staff from the public works department has "responded quickly" to reports and IDNR had collected several carcasses. Daily monitoring and removal efforts are underway "to help stop a possible illness cycle," which officials said is consistent with IDNR recommendations.

"The cause of the issue is not confirmed, and it is unclear if more ducks will be affected, however we will update this post with any news from IDNR, who is leading testing, while Village crews continue daily inspections and removals of any carcasses," the post continues.

While avian botulism is considered low risk to humans, residents are being advised not to handle the animals.

Residents are also being asked to report sick or deceased ducks to Public Works at 847-459-2545 or IDNR at 815-675-3286 (ext. 215).